Element for an adjustable steering column

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device for masking clearances between an instrument panel ( 6 ) and a covering element ( 2 ) linked to an adjustable steering column along a longitudinal direction ( 10 ) and a transverse direction ( 12 ). The device comprises a relatively rigid intermediate element ( 4 ) mobile solely along the longitudinal direction relative to the instrument panel, to remain in contact with said instrument panel, while the covering element moves along the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, such that it slides along the longitudinal direction relative to the covering element.

The present invention has for its object a device adapted to cover thegap between a dashboard and a covering element connected to anadjustable steering column.

The invention relates in particular to steering columns movable in twodirections and more precisely to steering columns adjustable intranslation in a longitudinal direction and angularly in rotation in alateral direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinaldirection. Said angular rotation of the steering column gives rise to asubstantially translatory movement of the covering element relative tothe dashboard in a transverse angular direction substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral direction.

EP-A-0 838 387 discloses a device of this type comprising a relativelyrigid intermediate element having a masking surface coming substantiallyinto contact with the dashboard and a sliding surface comingsubstantially into contact with the covering element. Said intermediateelement slides substantially axially relative to the dashboard, whilstthe covering element moves in a transverse angular direction relative tothe intermediate element.

This arrangement certainly has advantages relative to the prior art.However, it is not completely satisfactory. In particular, it has aconsequent size within the general architecture of the dashboard andgives rise to substantial requirements to integrate it harmoniously intothe shape of the dashboard.

To solve these various problems, the invention provides that:

-   -   the masking surface extends substantially in the longitudinal        direction, and the sliding surface extends substantially in the        transverse direction,    -   the device comprises moreover first means to move the covering        element substantially in the longitudinal direction relative to        the dashboard and to hold the intermediate element in the        longitudinal direction relative to the dashboard, during sliding        in the longitudinal direction of the steering column relative to        the dashboard, such that the sliding surface remains        substantially in contact with the dashboard and the covering        element slides relative to the masking surface, remaining        substantially in contact with said masking surface, and    -   the device moreover comprises second means to move the        intermediate element substantially in the transverse direction        relative to the dashboard and to hold the intermediate element        in the transverse direction relative to the covering element,        during angular rotation of the steering column, such that the        masking surface will thus be substantially immovable relative to        the covering element and the sliding surface will move        substantially in the transverse direction relative to the        dashboard, remaining substantially in contact with said        dashboard.    -   Thus, the device is more simple, less cumbersome and of a reduce        size.    -   Preferably, the device moreover comprises means for guiding in        translation substantially in the longitudinal direction directly        connecting the intermediate element and the covering element.    -   By directly guiding the intermediate element relative to the        covering element, the relative position of these two elements        will be better controlled. The meeting between them will thus be        more precise, in other words more aesthetically satisfying.

According to another preferred characteristic, the invention providesthat the means for guiding in translation comprise:

-   -   two grooves extending substantially in the longitudinal        direction comprising,    -   ribs within said grooves, and    -   first projections extending in the transverse direction and        second projections extending in the lateral direction, each of        said first and each of said second projections extending between        the ribs and the grooves so as to give rise to point contact        between the ribs and the grooves.

The guidance is thus simple, less costly and reliable. The pointcontacts render sliding reliable, by avoiding the phenomenon of wedging,which would be in danger of arising in the case of surface contactbetween pieces particularly of plastic material.

The invention will become more clear from the description which follows,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top left perspective view of a device according to theinvention, within a dashboard,

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective right bottom view of the device,

FIG. 3 is a rear top perspective left view of the device, without thesupport fixed to the dashboard,

FIG. 4 is a cross-section in the plane IV-IV of FIG. 6,

FIG. 5 is a section in the plane V-V of FIG. 6,

FIG. 6 is a section in the plane VI-VI of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section in the plane VII-VII of FIG. 4,

FIG. 8 is a section in the plane VIII-VIII of FIG. 5.

The figures show a device 1 comprising particularly a covering element 2and an intermediate element forming a cover 4 disposed between thecovering element and a dashboard 6.

The cover 2 is constituted by a lower half shell 2 a and an upper halfshell 2 b secured together, here by clipping. This covering element isadapted to cover the control casing (not shown) for the signaling meanssuch as the blinkers, the external lights and the windshield wipers, . .. It has a central passage traversed by a steering column shaft 8adapted to carry a steering wheel and extending in a longitudinaldirection 10, in this case substantially horizontally.

The upper shell 2 b has a closure surface 3 coming substantially intocontact with a masking surface 5 a of the cover 4. Said masking surface5 a extends substantially in the longitudinal direction 10 and closesthe gap existing between the covering element 2, more precisely theclosure surface 3, and the dashboard 6. The cover 4 moreover comprises asliding surface 5 b extending substantially into contact with thedashboard 6 in a transverse angular direction 12, perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction 10 and in this case substantially vertical.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cover 4 rests on the lowershell 2 a. It comprises in its lower portion two longitudinal ribs 16projecting in the direction of the lower half shell 2 a in thetransverse direction 12.

The lower half shell 2 a has at its upper end two troughs 18 eachdefining a groove 20 receiving ribs 16 of the cover 4. A principalprojection 22 a and a lateral projection 22 b project relative to eachof the ribs 16 at each of their ends in the longitudinal direction andif desired from place to place between these said ends.

The cover 4 accordingly comprises at least four principal projections 22a extending in the transverse direction 12 and four lateral projections22 b extending in a lateral direction 14 which is horizontal andperpendicular both to the longitudinal direction 10 and to thetransverse direction 12. These projections 22 a, 22 b, substantially inthe form of spherical cups, each generate a substantially point contactwith the trough 18.

The lower half shell 2 a and the cover 4 are connected to a structuralmechanical assembly 30 comprising a carriage 32, a slide 34 slidingwithin the carriage 32 in the longitudinal direction 10, an adjustmentrod 52 and a control handle 62.

The carriage 32 comprises principally two lateral plates 36 extendingperpendicular to the transverse direction 14 and two wings 38 extendingin the lateral direction 14, secured to the lateral plates 36. Each ofthe lateral plates 36 includes an elongated guide rib 40 extending inthe longitudinal direction 10.

The slide 34 comprises principally two lateral plates 42 ofsubstantially constant thickness, parallel to each other and held at adistance from each other. They come into contact with the lateral plates36 of the carriage and each include a rib 44 extending in thelongitudinal direction 10 substantially similar to the guide ribs 40,such that said guide ribs 40 of the carriage 32 insert themselves intothe ribs 44 of the slide 34 so as to guide it in translation in thelongitudinal direction 10.

The slide 34 moreover includes a tubular sleeve 46, secured to thelateral plates 42, defining a passage 48 of circular cross-sectionpassing through the slide in the longitudinal direction 10 and adaptedto receive the steering column shaft 8 (shown only in FIG. 1).

The carriage 32 has two circular holes 50 provided in each of thelateral plates 36 and receiving tightly the adjustment rod 52, such thatthe carriage 32 defines a cover held by the adjustment rod 52. Theadjustment rod 52 passes through two oblong holes or slots 54 extendingin the longitudinal direction 10 and provided in each of the lateralplates 42 of the slide 34 to permit the slide to move in translation inthe longitudinal direction 10.

The adjustment rod 52 also passes through two oblong holes or slots 56provided in two securement tongues 58 and a support 60 adapted to befixed to the dashboard 6 or to the structure of a vehicle. The support60 is accordingly fixed relative to the dashboard. The oblong holes 56extend in the transverse direction 12 so as to permit the mechanicalassembly 30 to slide in said transverse direction 12.

A first ring 64 provided with crenellations 65 pivoting about theadjusting rod 52 is fixed to the control handle 62 and coacts with asecond ring 66 provided with crenellations 67, which is also traversedby the control rod 52, but stopped in rotation in the lateral direction14 by the oblong hole 56 into which it is inserted. As a function of theposition that it gives to the control handle 62, the driver frees orfixes the mechanical assembly 30 relative to the support 60 by pressinga shoe 68 against the securement tongue 58.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower half shell 2 a is fixed to the slide bymeans of a screw 70.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 4 is connected to the wings 38 by claws 24fixed to the wings 38, hereby clipping, and passing through oblong holes28 provided in the cover 4. Thus, given the play between the hooks 24and the holes 28, the cover is free to slide in the transverse direction12 and the lateral direction 14. On the other hand, the claws 24 aretightly received in the holes 28 in the longitudinal direction 10, suchthat the position of the cover 4 in said longitudinal direction 10 ispredetermined by that of the carriage 32 in this direction, thetranslatory movements of the carriage 32 and of the cover 4 in thisdirection being combined.

A resilient tongue 26 held by the hook 24 exerts a pressure in thetransverse direction 12 on the cover 4, in the direction of the lowerhalf shell 2 a, to hold it and in particular its principal projections22 a in contact with the groove 20, including if there exists a slightdefect of alignment between the longitudinal direction of the guide rib40 and the direction of elongation of the rib 20.

When the driver desires to adjust the position of the steering wheelrelative to the dashboard 6 in the longitudinal direction 10, afterhaving actuated the control handle 62, he pushes or pulls on thesteering wheel in said longitudinal direction. He thus causes a movementof the shaft 8 of the steering column to which is fixed the steeringwheel and a result of a coupling member 72, transmitting the movement oftranslation in the longitudinal direction to the slide 34. FIG. 7 showsin full line the steering device in the advance position into thepassenger compartment and in broken line the retracted position.

Because of the connection existing between the carriage 32 and thesupport 60 by means of the adjustment rod 52, the carriage 32 cannotmove in the longitudinal direction 10 relative to the dashboard 6, suchthat the slide 34 slides within the carriage 32 in the longitudinaldirection 10.

The cover 4, in particular the masking surface 5 a and its slidingsurface 5 b, thus remains immobile relative to the dashboard 6, whilstthe covering element 2, in particular its closure surface 3, translatesin the longitudinal direction 10 relative to the dashboard 6, thusfollowing the same movement as the steering wheel. As shown in FIG. 7,the closure surface 3 of the covering element 2 thus slides in thelongitudinal direction 10 relative to the masking surface 5 a of thecover 4, whilst remaining substantially in contact therewith. Inpractice, a gap comprised preferably between 1 and 5 millimeters will beprovided between the closure surface 3 and a masking surface 5 a.

When the driver desires to adjust the position of the steering wheelrelative to the dashboard 6 in the transverse direction 12, he causesthe steering wheel to pivot about the lateral direction 14. The centerof rotation being at the end of the steering column which is oppositethe steering wheel, it is located at a distance from the device (between40 and 80 centimeters) very much greater than the movement of the devicein the transverse direction 12 (between 2 and 8 centimeters). Thepivoting of the steering wheel gives rise accordingly substantially to amovement of translation of the slide 34 in the angular direction 12relative to the dashboard 6. The carriage 32 being unable to moverelative to the slide 34 in the transverse direction 12 because of theribs 40, 44, thus follows the movement imposed by the slide 34.

As a result, as seen in FIG. 8 showing in full line the device, with thesteering wheel in the upper position and in broken line the steeringwheel in lowered position, the covering element 2 and the cover 4 followthe movement of the steering wheel, such that there is no relativemovement between the covering element 2 and the cover 4. Furthermore,the sliding surface 5 b moves relative to the dashboard 6 in the angulardirection 12. The sliding surface 5 b extending in the angular direction12, it remains substantially in contact with the dashboard 6 in thecourse of this movement in the transverse direction 12.

The operation of adjusting the steering wheel has been set forthsuccessively in the longitudinal direction 10, and then in thetransverse direction 12, for simplicity. But nothing prevents thesimultaneous performance of the two adjustments.

The covering element 2 and the cover 4 are preferably made of arelatively rigid plastic material, such as a polyolefin. The structuralassembly 30 needing moreover to resist mechanical forces, the parts ofthe composite will preferably be made of a stronger material, inparticular based on metal.

1. Device (1) to mask the gap between a dashboard (6) and a coveringelement (2) connected to a steering column (8) adjustable in translationin a longitudinal direction (10) and angularly in a lateral direction(14) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, saidangular rotation of the steering column giving rise to a movementsubstantially in translation of the covering element relative to thedashboard in a transverse direction (12) substantially perpendicular tosaid longitudinal direction (10) and to the lateral direction (14), saiddevice comprising moreover a relatively rigid intermediate element (12)having a sliding surface (5 b) coming substantially into contact withthe dashboard and the masking surface (5 a) coming substantially intocontact with the covering element, characterized in that: the maskingsurface extends substantially in the longitudinal direction and thesliding surface extends substantially in the transverse direction, thedevice moreover comprises first means (24, 34, 38, 54) to move thecovering element substantially in the longitudinal direction relative tothe dashboard and a hole in the intermediate element in the longitudinaldirection relative to the dashboard, during sliding in the longitudinaldirection of the steering column relative to the dashboard, such thatthe sliding surface remains substantially in contact with the dashboardand the covering element slides relative to the masking surface, whileremaining substantially in contact with said masking surface, and thedevice moreover comprises second means (32, 40, 44, 56) to move theintermediate element substantially in the transverse direction relativeto the dashboard and to hold the intermediate element in the transversedirection relative to the covering element, during angular rotation ofthe steering column, such that the masking surface will thus besubstantially immovable relative to the covering element and the slidingsurface will move substantially in the transverse direction relative tothe dashboard, while remaining substantially in contact with saiddashboard.
 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that itmoreover comprises guide means (16, 18, 20, 22 a, 22 b) in translationsubstantially in the longitudinal direction directly connecting theintermediate element to the covering element.
 3. Device according toclaim 2, characterized in that the guide means in translation comprise:two grooves (20) extending substantially in the longitudinal direction(10), ribs (16) extending into said gooves, and first projections (22 a)extending in the transverse direction and second projections (22 b)extending in the lateral direction (14), each of said first and secondprojections extending between the grooves and the ribs so as to giverise to point contact between the ribs and the grooves.
 4. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that: the second means comprise acarriage (32) sliding in said transverse direction relative to thedashboard, the first means comprise: a slide (34) to which is fixed thecovering element (2), sliding relative to the carriage in thelongitudinal direction, and means (24, 38) to connect in translationaccording to the longitudinal direction, the carriage to theintermediate element, such that these latter move with combinedtranslatory movements in the longitudinal direction.
 5. Device accordingto claim 4, characterized in that the intermediate element (4) is freerelative to the carriage (32) in the transverse direction (12). 6.Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it moreover comprisesresilient means (26) acting substantially in the transverse direction(12) to hold the intermediate element (4) into contact with the coveringelement (2).
 7. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that theintermediate element (4) is free relative to the carriage (32) in thelateral direction (14).
 8. Device according to claim 4, characterized inthat: the second means comprise moreover a first slot (56) extending inthe transverse direction (12), provided in a support (60) fixed to thedashboard (6), the first means comprise moreover a second slot (54)extending in the longitudinal direction (10), provided in the slide(34), the carriage (32) defines a cover having two holes (50) supportinga rod (52) passing through the first and second slots.
 9. Deviceaccording to claim 4, characterized in that the slide (32) is traversedfrom side to side in the longitudinal direction (10) by a passage (48)of circular cross-section adapted to receive a steering shaft (8). 10.Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the intermediateelement (4) is free relative to the carriage (32) in the lateraldirection (14).
 11. Device according to claim 6, characterized in thatthe intermediate element (4) is free relative to the carriage (32) inthe lateral direction (14).
 12. Device according to claim 5,characterized in that: the second means comprise moreover a first slot(56) extending in the transverse direction (12), provided in a support(60) fixed to the dashboard (6), the first means comprise moreover asecond slot (54) extending in the longitudinal direction (10), providedin the slide (34), the carriage (32) defines a cover having two holes(50) supporting a rod (52) passing through the first and second slots.13. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that: the second meanscomprise moreover a first slot (56) extending in the transversedirection (12), provided in a support (60) fixed to the dashboard (6),the first means comprise moreover a second slot (54) extending in thelongitudinal direction (10), provided in the slide (34), the carriage(32) defines a cover having two holes (50) supporting a rod (52) passingthrough the first and second slots.
 14. Device according to claim 7,characterized in that: the second means comprise moreover a first slot(56) extending in the transverse direction (12), provided in a support(60) fixed to the dashboard (6), the first means comprise moreover asecond slot (54) extending in the longitudinal direction (10), providedin the slide (34), the carriage (32) defines a cover having two holes(50) supporting a rod (52) passing through the first and second slots.15. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the slide (32) istraversed from side to side in the longitudinal direction (10) by apassage (48) of circular cross-section adapted to receive a steeringshaft (8).
 16. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that theslide (32) is traversed from side to side in the longitudinal direction(10) by a passage (48) of circular cross-section adapted to receive asteering shaft (8).
 17. Device according to claim 7, characterized inthat the slide (32) is traversed from side to side in the longitudinaldirection (10) by a passage (48) of circular cross-section adapted toreceive a steering shaft (8).
 18. Device according to claim 8,characterized in that the slide (32) is traversed from side to side inthe longitudinal direction (10) by a passage (48) of circularcross-section adapted to receive a steering shaft (8).